Finishing metal joints.



J. L; ls Acs. FINISHING METAL JOINTS.

APPLICAT |0N ms!) JUNE 12. 1909.

Patented June 8; 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- J. L. ISAACS.

FINISHING METAL JOINTS.-

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1909.

1,12,711, Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'I/IM/IIII/IIIIII/IIIIIIIIII an snares PATENT OFFICE- JOEL L. ISAACS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOB TO SIMMONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN. CORPORATION OF WISCONSINZ i FINISHING METAL JOINTS.

-' To all whom it may concern:

, *Be it known that I, JOEL L. ISAAGS, a citof the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Finishing Metal Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention concerns improvements in metal joints, particularly, though not exclusively, those in coverings or sleeves of brass or other sheet metal such as are fremetho quentl used in brass bedsteads, and to the of producing the same. The improvements are also applicable in many other relations and uses, among which may be mentioned the manufacture of sheet metal.

spindles and posts frequently have a main,

inner, strengthenin or stiffening iron tube or pipe covered with a sheet metal jacket or sleeve of brass having its longitudinal edges locked together forming a seam or joint disposed lengthwise the tube. Such joint of the brass covering is not completely closed, and for that reason is more or less apparent and discernible. Various schemes .have been devised for filling, concealing, and

closing such joints, but all such ossess one or more objectionable or detrimental features. A

One of the aims and objects of this invention is a' method of producin and finishing the joint in such a manner t at it is not at all conspicuous, and is, in fact, practically concea1ed. In carryin' ontimy improved method a strip of meta filler, desirably of the same color as the coverin' sleeve is anchored and secured in the jomt'ofthe two edges ofthe sheet metal jacket at the time the inner tube or ipe is covered thereby,

provided such an inner tube is employed,' and preferably subsequently .is melted,

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 8, 1915.

Application med June 12, 1909. Serial No. 501,715.

former instance it is usually feasible and de-' siruble to have the filler.of soft metahow- 1n to the greater ease with which it may be ro led or melted to completely fill the gap.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a partvof this specification, and to which reference should be had for a full and complete understanding of the invention, I have illustrated the method of carrying out and employing this invention.

In these drawingsFigure 1 is a some What conventional perspective view of an appliance for heating and rolling down the exposed or protruding part of the filler in the seam or joint of the tube jacket; Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional perspective view of such a tube before the filler is pressed or otherwise acted on to fill the joint; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the completed tube; Fig. 4 illustrates in section, on a considerably larger scale, thejoint or seam of the sleeve or jacket and the manner in which the filling strip is locked or anchored therein; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4: showing the dis position of the filler after the same has been rolled down to fill the gap or small groove of the seam; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the dies and other appliances for applying the sleeve or jacket to the inner tube, and 1llus-' trates in addition the application of the filling strip to the joint and the heating and rolling or crushing means Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a die block for converting the flat filling-strip into one of angle shape just prior. to its entrance and anchoring in the jacketseap 8 illustrates the manner of employing the -invention in connection with flat plates and; the rolling down of the protruding or'exposed part of the fill ng strip; Fig; 9 is a sectional yiew illustratlng the rolling down or crushingrreferred to;

and Fig. illustrates in section a modified form of tube in which the filling strip or other edge of the jacket or sleeve being provided with an integral, marginal hook strip 13 in looking and cooperative engagement with the part 12, such portions 12 and 13 having between them the inner, laterallydisposed locking or anchoring hook-shaped part 14 of a soft metal filling strip 15, preferably of substantially the same'color as the jacket and which is of sufficient width to project or protrude-outwardly a slight distance beyond the outer surface or periphery of the jacket or sleeve 11, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it being understood that the same time the locking parts are formed and interlocked on the marginal edges of the sleeve, the filling strip is inserted and likewise locked or anchored, as is illustrated clearly in Fig. 1. To accommodate this enlarged or thickened seam or joint the inner strengthening or stiffening tube 10 is depressed at one portion 16 to form a slight longitudinal groove or valley 17. It will, therefore, be perfectly apparent that the inner part of the filler 15 is effectively and securely locked or anchored in the joint or seam. After the tube is thus formed it is fed along on grooved support-' ing rollers 18,.the protruding or outwardlyextending part of the soft metal filling strip being heated if necessary by a gas flame 19, or any other suitable means which may be provided, sincein some instances such heating appliances or devices may be readily dispensed with. This heating softens to some extent the filler 15,- and in this condition it passes beneath a pressure or flattening roller 20 which squeezes or presses down the protruding part of the filler so that it completely fills the gap or longitudinal groove of the seam and becomes-flush with theouter, curved cylindrical surface of the pipe or tube (Fig. 5). If it were possible to bring the two inturned parts of the sleeve or jacket into intimate contact atthe extreme periphery of the tube, no such filler of this character would be required or necessary, but inasmuch as the inward bending of these parts causes the presence of a slight longitudinal groove or gap, some means is necessary ished jacketed tube may present the appearance of being solid brass. It has been proing to fill the same in order that the fin-.

posed heretofore to braze or'solder' litt e threads or strips of metal in such gaps, but experience has shown that an ineffective and inefiicient union is ordinarily secured between the strip and the jacket, so that in some instances the strip or thread can be readily detached. In my improved construction, however, it is impossible to remove the filling strip either intentionally or accidentally, since the same is firmly and securely locked and anchored in theseam or joint itself, the inner partof the strip hava hook engagement with one of the hooks of the sleeve joint.

Referring now to Fig. 6, which illustrates the dies for forming the outer tube or jacket in substantial accordance-with the invention set forth in Patent No. 696,865, granted April 1, 1902, to Patrick H. Friel, for an invention in dies for covering tubes, in so far as such prior invention is applicable for carrying out that of this application, it will be noticed that the inner stifi'ening tube 10 is caused to travel through thedie blocks 21 which operate on the sheet-metal strip 11 to form the outer jacket and at the same time anchor in the locking seam or joint the softmetal filling strip 15, which, as it passes through the supplemental dieblock 22 shown in' detail in Fig. 7, is caused to assume a substantially right-angle section. The jacketed tube with the protruding part of the filling issues from the dieblocks 21 and acts under the influence of the flame of a gas burner 19 which operates to heat the outwardly-extended part of the filler to soften the same before it reaches the crushing or flattening roller 20.

In Flgs. 1 and 6 the forms of heaters vary somewhat, but it is to be understood that any suitable means for heating or softening the filler may be employed, and that the illustration in the figures of the drawings is only an example of what may be employed for performing this function. In all cases it is not necessary to heat the filling strip, and under such circumstances the heater '19 and 19* would be dispensed with. On the other hand, instead of crushing or pressing such filling strip to cause it to occupy the entire longitudinal groove, it may be advisable to braze or weld such strip to the parts of the jacket on opposite sides of the groove, and under such circumstances a pressure roller may or may not be -used, as appears to be desirable or necessary.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited and restricted to any particular means or method of filling the groove and rendering the filling strip flush or smooth with the outer surface of the tube or acket having the groove, .but relates broadly to any means for accomplishing this purpose,.whether by crushing pressure, or welding, brazing, or melting.

. modified slightly so as to accommodate the intervening filling strip, but such modification is. fully within the province of any one skilled in this art.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown an adaptation of this invention to flat plates, the edges of which are locked to ether in substantially the same manner as t at of the jacket described above, the seam or joint being equipped with a protruding filling strip which is subsequently caused to completely fill the joint, in the manner hereinabove described. In these figures the two plates 23 and 24 have their adjacent edges joined together in the manner. indicated in Fig. 4:,

top and bottom rollers 25 and 26 being used for the reduction of the outstanding fin to cause the same to fill the gap or groove.

Whereas I have indicated above the ad-' vantageous employment of this invention in connection with sheet-metal jackets for inner stiffening tubes, it is to be noted and understood that the invention is as readily applicable for the manufacture of tin cans, boxes, or other forms of containers,

1 be well used for this purpose in those cases where it is desired to maintain the contents of the can or package entirely out of contact with the solder used to unite or join the edges of the sheet-metal forming the'can. Obviously, a strip of solder may be readily used for the filling strip and employed to [solder together the two parts ofthe joint,

the contents of the can being wholly protected from contact with this strip by the looking or engaging parts of the sheet-metal forming the joint or seam. Any means of Welding, brazing, soldering, or the like may be used in connection with seams or joints of this character, and in each instance the finished article will have its filling strip practically flush with the outer surface of the jacket, can, or box, and will present a neat and attractive appearance;

As has been instanced above, in some cases the heating appliance shown and described may be omitted, and it is further to be noted that the rolling down or finishing of the protruding or exposedpart of the filling strip may be accomplished by means other than those illustrated, and in some instances such pressing, crushing, or ,melting of the strip may be accomplished soon after the edges of the sheet-metal are locked together, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Various other modifications in the method herein described and in' the jacket, tube, can, box, or the like may be made without and may may be just as readily employed in connection with jackets or coverings for solid posts or the like as for the hollow ones illustrated and described more or less in detail.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated a modification wherein the sheet-metal jacket 27 has the cap or groove of its joint or seam filled with a filling strip 28 which forms a part of and is integral with the jacket proper. In such case and even in those instances where a separate soft metal filler is used a rapidlyrevolving burnishing wheel 29 may be employed to perform the double funct1on of heating and rolling down the protruding fin, the wheel being rotated sufficiently rapidly .to heat the fin by friction enough I claim: 1. The herein 'describedmethod WhlCh consists in simultaneously interlocking the edges of sheet metal and an interposed filler strip to form a joint at one side of the structure and a depression at the opposite side of the structure with one edge ortion of the filler strip projecting outward y through the depression, and causing the projecting portion'of said fillerstrip to fill the depression flush with the adjacent side of the structure, substantially as described.

2. The herein described method which consists in simultaneously interlocking the. edges of sheet metal and an interposed filler strip to form a joint at one side of the structure and a depression at the opposite side of the structure with one edge portion of the filler strip projecting outwardly through the depression, heating the projecting portion of said filler strip to soften it and rolling the same while heated to fill the depression flush with'the outer surface of the structure, substantially as described.

3. The herein described method which consists in forming a joint of bent edges at one side and a depression at the other side, including a filler strip in the joint and projecting outwardly through the depression, and causing the projectin portion of said strip to fill the depressib flush with the adjacent side, substantially as described.

4. The herein described method which consists in interposing afiller strip between filler strip and locating the inter-folded porwith the adjacent side of the structure, subtions as one side of tlfie structure agd fgr%- stantially as described. in a epression at t e opposite si e 0 t e sti ixcture with one edge portion of the filler JOEL ISAACS" 5 strip projecting outwardly through the de- Witnesses:

pression, and causing the projecting portion WALTER M. FULLER of said filler strip to fill the depression flush ALLEN W. MOORE. 

